Shingle cutting device

ABSTRACT

A shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys includes a base body having an upper surface and a lower surface and a handle device mounted on the upper surface. An inverted, generally C-shaped roof valley-engaging guide channel is formed on and extends along the lower surface of the base body, and a blade support arm is mounted on and extends outwards from the base body, the blade support arm having an inner end and an outer end. A blade support device such as a blade clamp is mounted on the blade support arm adjacent the outer end thereof and a shingle cutting blade is removably mounted in the blade support device and extends downwards therefrom, the shingle cutting blade operative to engage and cut shingles to form a straight cut shingled roof line which extends generally parallel with the adjacent roof valley.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL PATENT

This application claims priority based on a provisional patent, specifically on the Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/551,111 filed Mar. 8, 2004.

Background of the Invention

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to shingle cutting devices and, more particularly, to a shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys which includes a base section having an inverted guide channel formed on the underside thereof, an outwardly extending blade support arm which extends outwards from the base section at an upwards angle therefrom, and a shingle cutting blade mounted on the outer section of the outwardly extending blade support arm for engaging and cutting shingle ends to form a straight cut shingled roof line parallel with the roof valley.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Asphalt shingled roofs are extremely common and are found on the vast majority of homes built in the United States. On a typical asphalt shingle roof, each corner of the roof where roof sections abut one another is referred to as a “valley” and each valley is generally covered by a metal valley material to prevent leakage of the roof and enhance the roof appearance. “W”-valley roofs are becoming more and more common as the “W”-valley includes a center ridge which prevents water and debris buildup at the center of the valley, thus increasing the lifespan of the valley piece and decreasing the need for roof repairs and roof cleaning due to the improved drainage characteristics of the “W”-valley section. At each point on the roof where there is a valley, however, the shingle edges must be trimmed into a straight line aligned with the valley to increase the aesthetic appearance of the roof and decrease the likelihood of damage to the roof shingles. The ordinary method for doing such trimming is to make a rough cut of the shingle edges using a utility knife and then to “chalk” a line along the shingle edges which is then carefully cut with a utility knife to form the finished valley shingle edge. As can be seen, however, there are numerous opportunities for mistakes to be made in the trimming of the shingles when the above-described method is used. There is therefore a need for a simple, effective, and efficient tool which will perform the shingle trimming and which will do so in a swift, simple, aesthetically pleasing and damage decreasing manner.

Numerous devices have been proposed in the prior art which have attempted to solve the problem of shingle cutting, including such devices as those found in Hile, U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,781, Croft, U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,461, and Morrissey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,256. Each of these prior art devices, however, includes similar limitations in that the shingle must be cut prior to its being placed on the roof, and therefore accuracy in the shingle cut is suspect at best and, in a worse case scenario, may result in the shingle having to be discarded when it does not fit properly on the roof surface. Even those devices which are designed to cut shingles while in place on roofs, such as that described in Conley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,382, do not provide simple and efficient devices by which the shingles may be cut, instead providing a cutting device for cutting a single shingle at a time which will not improve the efficiency of the cutting process. There is therefore a need for a shingle cutting device which will quickly and efficiently cut shingles in an accurate and aesthetically pleasing manner.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved shingle cutting device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys which includes a base section having an inverted guide channel, an outwardly extending blade support arm extending outwards from the base section and a shingle cutting blade mounted on the outer section for engaging and cutting shingle ends to form a straight cut shingled roof line extending parallel with the roof valley.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shingle cutting device which may be used by roofers on the roof location which is to be cut which will provide a more accurate and more efficient method and device to cut the shingles as opposed to having to measure the shingles and precut each of them.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shingle cutting device which is usable on both sides of the roof valley to permit the roofer to quickly and easily cut the shingles on the roof valley before proceeding to the next job.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shingle cutting device which eliminates the need for chalking of the shingle edges to produce a straight line cut parallel to the roof valley.

Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved shingle cutting device which is relatively simple and durable in design and construction and is safe, accurate, and efficient in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys including a base body having an upper surface and a lower surface and a handle device mounted on the upper surface of the base body. An inverted guide channel is formed on and extends along the lower surface of the base body, the inverted guide channel being operative to engage a roof valley on which the shingle cutting device is being used and a blade support arm is mounted on the base body, the blade support arm having an inner end mounted on the base body and an outer end, the blade support arm extending outwards from the base body. A blade support device such as a blade clamp or the like is mounted on the blade support arm adjacent the outer end of the blade support arm and a shingle cutting blade is removably mounted in the blade support device and extends downwards therefrom, the shingle cutting blade operative to engage and cut shingles and shingle ends to form a straight cut shingled roof line which extends generally parallel with the adjacent roof valley.

The present invention thus provides a substantial improvement over the shingle cutting devices and methods previously used in the roofing industry. For example, because the shingle cutting device ensures that the same distance between the cut and the center line of the W-valley section will be used in each and every instance where the shingles are being cut, the accuracy and pleasing appearance of each cut is virtually assured. Also, because the present invention may quickly and accurately cut both sides of the W-valley, the efficiency with which the shingles may be cut is greatly increased, thus decreasing the time necessary for the roofer to engage in that activity. Finally, because the shingle cutting device is designed to be constructed as a single unit, the opportunity for mechanical breakdown is greatly reduced, and the durability and longevity of the shingle cutting device is greatly enhanced. It is thus seen that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those devices and methods found in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shingle cutting device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical house roof showing the roof valleys thereon;

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the roof of FIG. 2 showing the roof shingles immediately prior to rough cutting of the shingles;

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the shingle cutting device of the present invention being used to final cut shingles on the roof;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are elevational views of one section of the roof showing the shingle cutting device of the present invention being used to cut shingles on either side of the “W”-valley;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the shingle cutting device of the present invention showing the placement and fitting of the cutting blades;

FIG. 8 is a detailed end elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention which includes a V-shaped guide channel; and

FIG. 9 is a detailed end elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8 showing the outwardly extending blade support arm being pivotally connected to the base section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention is shown best in FIGS. 1 and 4-7 as including a base section 12 which includes an inverted generally C-shaped channel 14 formed on the underside thereof. The inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 preferably has a base opening and curved walls and is designed to fit over and slidably engage the upwardly extending ridge 72 of a “W”-valley 70 which is used in the valley sections of shingled roofs, as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the preferred embodiment, the base body or section 12 would have a length of approximately six to ten inches, a width of approximately one to two inches, and a height of approximately one to two inches with the depth of the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 being approximately one quarter of an inch to an inch. Mounted on top of base section 12 is a handle 20 which is designed to be grasped by the user of the invention in a comfortable yet power-enhancing position. Specifically, as shown best in FIG. 1, the hand of the individual using the invention would grasp one of the upwardly extending hand-engagement sections 22 a and 22 b of handle 20 with the user's forearm placed adjacent the body of the handle 20 and resting on base section 12. Although various types of grips may be used in connection with the handle 20 of the present invention, it has been found that the user's hand grasping the handle 20 with the forearm placed on the base section 12 provides a high degree of control and relatively high degree of power to ensure proper cutting of the shingles on the roof of the structure on which the shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention is being used.

Extending outwards from and connected to base section 12 is a blade support arm 30 which, in the preferred embodiment, would be a generally rectangular block of material mounted on and connected to base section 12, as shown best in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, it is preferred that blade support arm 30 be angled upwards slightly from base section 12 such that the upper face 32 of blade support arm 30 is angled approximately five to twenty degrees upwards from the upper face 16 of base section 12, as shown best in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. Blade support arm 30 is angled upwards from base section 12 in order to properly engage and cut the shingles 92 on roof 90 while the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70 is engaged by inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 of base section 12. The precise angle of blade support arm 30 relative to base section 12 is not generally critical to the present invention, however, as the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 permits the base section 12 and thus the blade support arm 30 to be pivoted about the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70 while still maintaining guided alignment of the base section 12 on the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70. Generally, however, the angle of the blade support arm will be between 5° and 30°, depending on the other dimensions of the device. By pivoting the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 about the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70, roofs with very steep gables and slopes all the way to flatter roofs may be accommodated, as the blade support arm 30 will extend generally parallel with the roof surface over which it is passing and base section 12 would be pivoted about its axis of travel relative to the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70. Of course, it should also be noted that the angle between blade support arm 30 and base section 12 need only be sufficient to permit the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 to properly engage upwardly extending ridge 72, and as the channel 14 is designed to engage the upwardly extending ridge 72 with a high degree of adjustability, the base section 12 may be tilted relative to upwardly extending ridge 72 to bring blade support arm 30 into the proper cutting orientation for the shingles 92 so long as there is at least some degree of angle between the blade support arm 30 and the base section 12.

Mounted on the outer end of blade support arm 30 is a shingle cutting blade 40, as shown best in FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7. The shingle cutting blade 40 is preferably a commercially available double-ended standard cutting blade which is already used in utility knives for the cutting of shingles in a rough cut fashion, as these types of shingle cutting blades 40 have been found to be particularly useful in the cutting of shingles. An example of one such blade is the blade model 11-983 manufactured by the Stanley Company of New Britain, Conn., although many different blades may be used for the cutting of shingles depending on the shingles being cut by the shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention, any of which would be understood by those skilled in the art of shingle cutting. As shown best in FIG. 7, the shingle cutting blade would be mounted within the outer end 34 of blade support arm 30 and would be secured thereon by blade securement device 36 which, in the preferred embodiment, would be a generally rectangular bar mountable to the blade support arm 30. The blade securement device 36 would be then securely attached to the remainder of blade support arm 30 and the blade securement device 36 would be pivoted over to cover and secure the shingle cutting blade 40 on blade support arm 30. It should be noted that the blade securement device 36 of blade support arm 30 may be modified or changed to incorporate many different types of blades and blade securement devices so long as the shingle cutting blade 40 is securely and releasably mounted on the outer end 34 of blade support arm 30. Such blade mount devices would include clip mounts, snap-fit mounts, and many other types of blade securement and mounting devices which are known in the prior art.

The shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention would be used in the following manner. On a standard roof 90 covered with asphalt shingles 92, a plurality of W-valleys 70 are used at the roof corners to prevent roof leakage and ensure connections between the roof sections. When the shingles 92 are laid on the roof 90, the edges of the shingles 92 extend over the edges of the “W” valley 70, and it is preferable to trim these edges to make a straight cut line which is far more aesthetically pleasing than the rough shingle edges. Furthermore, the rough shingle edges are far more likely to be damaged if left in the overlapped, extended condition, as shown in FIG. 3. It is therefore important to trim the edges of the overlapping, extended shingles.

FIG. 3 illustrates the rough cut of the shingles 92 being performed by use of a utility knife 60 which has a shingle cutting blade mounted therein. Once the rough cut is performed, the shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention may be used to quickly and easily finish and trim the shingles 92 on the roof 90. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the shingle cutting device 10 is placed on the upwardly extending ridge 72 of the “W”-valley 70 such that the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 engages the upwardly extending ridge 72. Once the base section 12 is placed on the “W”-valley 70, the shingle cutting blade 40 mounted on the outer end 34 of blade support arm 30 then can engage the shingles 92 on roof 90 and, when pulled downwards, the shingle cutting blade 40 cuts through the shingles 92 in a perfectly straight line aligned with the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70. As the base section 12 of shingle cutting device 10 is moved along the upwardly extending ridge 72, the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 guides the movement of the base section 12 and the shingle cutting blade 40 cuts the shingles 92 in a generally straight line which extends parallel with the upwardly extending ridge 72. To cut the opposite side of the “W”-valley 70, as shown in FIG. 6, the shingle cutting device 10 is reversed and once again the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 engages upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70 with the shingle cutting blade 40 engaging the shingles 92 and cutting the shingles 92 in a generally straight line aligned parallel with the upwardly extending ridge 72. Once the two passes are complete, the shingles 92 are final cut in straight lines aligned with the upwardly extending ridge 72 and the fine cutting of the shingles 92 is completed. There is therefore no need for “chalking” a line prior to cutting or reason to be concerned about a mis-cut or an improper line being drawn as the shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention eliminates and solves all those prior art concerns.

FIGS. 8 and 9 disclose an alternative embodiment of the shingle cutting device 10′ of the present invention. In this embodiment, the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 is reformed as inverted, generally V-shaped channel 14′ which provides a higher degree of accuracy in engagement with the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70 but requires a much closer coordination of the angle of the blade support arm 30′ with the angle of the roof on which the invention is to be used. In fact, the precise angle of blade support arm 30′ relative to base section 12′ will be generally determined by the roof line on which the shingle cutting device 10′ of the present invention is being used. For example, on roof with very steep gables and slopes, the angle between blade support arm 30 and base section 12 should be greater than would be used when the shingle cutting device 10 is being used on a flatter roof. Although the first embodiment of the present invention is generally preferable to the embodiment of FIG. 8, there may be some instances where having a closer fit to the upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70 is important, and the modification thus shown will accomplish that objective.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 8 in which the blade support arm 30′ is adjustably mounted on the base section 12′ via a ratchet connection 50 which permits the angle of blade support arm 30′ relative to base section 12′ to be adjusted, thus accommodating different roof angles and roof positions. Of course, it should be noted that the ratchet connection 50, which includes an arm pivot mount 52, ratchet teeth 54, ratchet teeth engagement section 56, and ratchet teeth engagement section control button 58, may be modified or changed so long as the intended functionality of rendering the blade support arm 30′ adjustable relative to base section 12′ is maintained. The rachet connection 50 of FIG. 9 thus should be seen as illustrative of one of the many different embodiments which can be used with the present invention to provide adjustability of the angle between the blade support arm 30′ and the base section 12′.

It is to be understood that numerous additions, modifications, and substitutions may be made to the shingle cutting device 10 of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the above description. For example, although the preferred construction materials for the shingle cutting device 10 are molded plastic, wood or metal, any type of appropriate construction material may be used with the present invention so long as the shingle cutting device 10 is both economical to manufacture and durable in use and design. Specifically, it should be noted that the shingle cutting device 10 is designed to be constructed as an injection-molded single unit, and thus the assigned descriptive aspects of the above description, namely referring to the base section 12 and the blade support arm 30 as separate elements, are mainly for clarification purposes and are not intended to be limiting in any manner. Furthermore, the precise size, shape, and design of the shingle cutting device 10 is not critical to the present invention so long as the intended functionality of the shingle cutting device 10 is neither degraded nor destroyed. Also, the mounting of the shingle cutting blade 40 on the blade support arm 30 may be done in many different manners, any of which would be understood by one skilled in the art. Finally, it may be preferable to include a Teflon coating or other such friction-reducing finish on the inverted, generally C-shaped channel 14 to improve the sliding characteristics of the inverted, generally C-shaped 14 on upwardly extending ridge 72 of “W”-valley 70, although such an addition is not necessary to the functionality of the present invention.

There has therefore been shown and described a shingle cutting device 10 which accomplishes at least all of its intended objectives. 

1. A shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys comprising: a base body having an upper face and a lower surface; handle means mounted on said base body; an inverted guide channel formed on and extending along said lower surface of said base body, said inverted guide channel operative to engage a roof valley on which said shingle cutting device is being used; a blade support arm mounted on said base body, said blade support arm having an inner end mounted on said base body and an outer end, said blade support arm extending outwards from said base body; blade support means mounted on said blade support arm adjacent said outer end of said blade support arm; and shingle cutting blade means removably mounted in said blade support means and extending downwards therefrom, said shingle cutting blade means operative to engage and cut shingles and shingle ends to form a straight cut shingled roof line generally parallel with a roof valley.
 2. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said base body and said blade support arm are integrally formed as a single unit.
 3. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said inverted guide channel on said base body is generally C-shaped in cross-section.
 4. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said inverted guide channel on said base body is generally V-shaped in cross-section.
 5. The shingle cutting device of claim 4 further comprising a ratchet connection mounted on said base body interposed between and connecting said base body and said blade support arm, said ratchet connection operative to permit the angle of said blade support arm relative to said base body to be adjusted, whereby different roof angles and roof positions may be accommodated.
 6. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said blade support arm is angled upwards relative to said base body, said blade support arm angled between five and thirty degrees (5° and 30°) upwards relative to said upper face of base section.
 7. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said blade support means comprises a generally rectangular bar mountable to said blade support arm, said blade securement device being movable to cover and secure said shingle cutting blade means upon said shingle cutting blade means being mounted on said outer end of said blade support arm.
 8. The shingle cutting device of claim 1 wherein said blade support means comprises a snap-fit means operative to releasably secure said shingle cutting blade means on said outer end of said blade support arm.
 9. A shingle cutting device for use in roof valleys having an upwardly extending ridge extending parallel with the centerline of the roof valley, said shingle cutting device comprising: a base body having an upper face and a lower surface; handle means mounted on said upper face of said base body; an inverted guide channel having a generally C-shaped cross-sectional shape, said inverted guide channel formed on and extending along said lower surface of said base body, said inverted guide channel operative to engage an upwardly extending ridge extending parallel with the centerline of the roof valley on which said shingle cutting device is being used; a blade support arm mounted on said base body, said blade support arm having an inner end mounted on said base body and an outer end, said blade support arm extending outwards from said base body; blade support means mounted on said blade support arm adjacent said outer end of said blade support arm; and shingle cutting blade means removably mounted in said blade support means and extending downwards therefrom, said shingle cutting blade means operative to engage and cut shingles and shingle ends to form a straight cut shingled roof line which extends generally parallel with an upwardly extending ridge which extends parallel with the centerline of the roof valley on which said shingle cutting device is being used.
 10. The shingle cutting device of claim 9 wherein said base body and said blade support arm are integrally formed as a single unit.
 11. The shingle cutting device of claim 9 wherein said blade support arm is angled upwards relative to said base body, said blade support arm angled between five and thirty degrees (5° and 30°) upwards relative to said upper face of base section.
 12. The shingle cutting device of claim 9 wherein said blade support means comprises a generally rectangular bar mountable to said blade support arm, said blade securement device being movable to cover and secure said shingle cutting blade means upon said shingle cutting blade means being mounted on said outer end of said blade support arm.
 13. The shingle cutting device of claim 9 wherein said blade support means comprises a snap-fit means operative to releasably secure said shingle cutting blade means on said outer end of said blade support arm. 